Keep on running: James Cracknell

Continuing our series, Tarquin Cooper catches up with the stars of the 2005 Flora London Marathon

The rower James Cracknell OBE won at both the Athens and Sydney Olympic Games in the men's coxless fours. He has taken a year out from competition, hoping to run the marathon as a way of keeping fit, while raising money for Access Sport.

Four weeks ago, disaster struck. The double gold medallist slipped in the snow as he set off to run a half-marathon. But Cracknell is still planning to abandon the crutches and run the 25th London Marathon on April 17.

I hear you have twisted your ankle?

Yes, it's a shocker.

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I would like to give some great story of chasing a mugger down the road, but no, I fell over while running. I tripped on a tree root covered in snow on the towpath near my home in Chiswick in west London and ended up having to walk back to my car in my Lycra tights. Not good.

You must be gutted?

Yes, it has been a frustrating build-up. It hasn't gone as smoothly as I would have liked at all. I actually sprained it at Christmas fairly badly and was only just up and running.

The diagnosis?

I have stretched the ligament and bruised the bottom of the tibia.

What are you taking for it?

Arnica is very good. I rub that on every day. Also, I put one foot in the bath and shove an electric current through it.

Not with a hairdryer, I hope?

No, it's like a Tens machine.

Physio?

Almost daily.

Any danger of permanent damage?

No.

Has your physio given you the all-clear?

Er . . . he says it won't be a problem, but I can't run yet. I can walk OK-ish. I am losing the crutches gradually. But I'm sure I will be OK for the marathon. Whether I'll get my target, we will just have to wait and see.

You were hoping to run it in under three hours.

I really said that not knowing too much about it - post-Olympic confidence - but I am still going to set out with that in mind. I am going to go for as long as I can at a three-hour pace and hopefully that will coincide with 26 miles - not 15.

Have you suffered any abuse from friends?

I've been surprised by the number of people you meet who are doing the marathon and are very quick to tell you that you haven't done enough training. I have done a lot on the bike, but not a lot on the road.

How has the training been up until now?

I have had some really good speed work. I have been getting used to moving quickly, which is what you need to do to run a quick marathon. I haven't done long runs. I have done some hard 20 minutes, some hard 30 minutes, some hard 50 minutes, and five minutes on, three off. I haven't quite got the base endurance in the legs on the road.

Were you counting miles?

No, I was to start with, but that was a bit of a disaster. I tried to do more and more and quicker and quicker. That's how I got injured in the first place - running too fast too quickly.

What happened?

I turned my hip and that took ages to calm down. When that healed, I sprained my ankle at Christmas. So really, I haven't run properly for about three months.